


Burnt Wings

by PrincessMariana



Series: PM's Flufftober 2020 [11]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe, Flufftober, Flufftober 2020, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Wingfic, not edited we die like robin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27099847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessMariana/pseuds/PrincessMariana
Summary: After hunters burn Dick's wings, Bruce helps heal them.Written for Flufftober 2020, Day 12: Clenched Fists
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne
Series: PM's Flufftober 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1951447
Comments: 6
Kudos: 99
Collections: Flufftober2020





	Burnt Wings

**Author's Note:**

> More hurt/comfort than fluff but close enough. :)

Dick clenched his fist and squeezed his eyes shut as he braced himself for the imminent pain.

“You’re too tense,” Bruce said from behind him. “It will hurt less if you relax.”

“Do we _have_ to do this?” Dick whined. “They’ll fall out on their own eventually.”

“Your new feathers won’t grow in properly if we don’t this,” Bruce said patiently.

He reached out and gently touched one of Dick’s wings. Dick flinched at the touch. Instinctively, his wings closed tightly against his back, which then made everything hurt _worse_. Dick sniffled. “S-sorry.”

“It’s alright, chum,” Bruce said. “I have a better idea. Let’s go to the nest.”

Dick miserably followed Bruce into the nesting room. In the center of the room, there was a shallow pit, full of blankets, pillows and feathers, forming the nest where Bruce and Dick usually slept.

“But won’t it be hard for you to do it that way?” Dick said, guiltily looking at Bruce’s bandaged side.

“Don’t worry – I’ll manage,” Bruce said. He squeezed Dick’s shoulder comfortingly.

When Dick still hesitated, Bruce asked, “Do you need help getting in?”

Dick nodded, his face flushing. “’m sorry.”

Bruce set down the bowl of salve on the ground and knelt in front of Dick. He cupped the side of Dick’s face with a hand, forcing Dick to look into Bruce’s eyes. “You don’t need to keep apologizing, sweetheart. I’m not angry with you.”

Dick’s hands formed fists again as his eyes filled up with tears. “But it’s _my fault_ ,” Dick said. “I-I shouldn’t’ve gone so far if the forest when you told me n-not to. If I hadn’t, my wings w-wouldn’t be m-messed up, and you wouldn’t have g-gotten hurt, and-and-”

Bruce sighed. “You’re right. You directly disobeyed me. Your actions caused others to be put at risk and injury to your wings. _However_ , no one, including myself, was seriously harmed. The hunter’s arrow didn’t hit anything important. It won’t even leave a scar. Your wings will heal, and you’ll be able to fly soon enough. Our flock knows that you are young and has already forgiven you. What matters most to me is that you are safe and that you have learned something from this experience.”

Dick nodded earnestly. “I’ll never, _ever_ disobey you again.” He wiped away the tears rolling down his face with a clumsy hand. “I _promise_.”

Bruce huffed a laugh. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. You have many years of childish disobedience ahead of you. I just hope that your transgressions will be less dangerous. Now, we must take care of your wings.”

Bruce, careful of Dick’s burnt wings, picked Dick up with one arm and grabbed the salve with his free hand. Dick wrapped his arms and legs around Bruce, holding on tight. Bruce flew them a few feet in the air and then landed in the middle of the nest. He settled Dick on his lap so that Dick’s head rested on Bruce’s shoulder and Dick’s wings were easily accessible.

This was how Bruce would usually preen Dick’s wings, cuddled up in the scents of their small family. It was only the scents of the two of them – something Dick hoped would change soon – but Dick still found it comforting and warm and _safe_.

But they weren’t in the nest for a normal preening.

“Take slow, deep breaths,” Bruce instructed Dick.

Bruce dipped his fingers in the bowl of salve and began gently rubbing the oil-like substance into the skin near Dick’s feather roots. Dick whimpered and buried his face in Bruce’s shoulder. He tried to breathe like Bruce had told him to, which helped, a little.

But it still _hurt_ when Bruce tugged at Dick’s feathers, removing the loose ones and rubbing more salve into the tiny, bloody wounds left behind. With every plucked feather, Dick’s body jerked, instinctively trying to get away, but Bruce’s arm around Dick kept him in place.

“It’ll be over soon,” Bruce reassured Dick.

Dick wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Bruce finally finished. The salve helped with the pain, but Dick’s wings still felt tender and achy.

“How do you feel?” Bruce said.

“Tired,” Dick mumbled against Bruce’s shoulder.

Bruce combed his fingers through Dick’s hair. “Then you should rest.”

As Bruce began maneuvering Dick off his lap, Dick wrapped his arms around Bruce’s neck. “No,” he whined softly.

“Do you want me to stay?” Bruce said.

Dick nodded and relaxed when Bruce settled back down. “I don’t want…nightmare.”

“You’re safe here,” Bruce promised. “I won’t let any hunters get close to you.”

“Thank you for rescuing me,” Dick said, a little shyly, as his eyes drifted shut.

“I’ll always save you, sweetheart.”


End file.
